Room air conditioner

ABSTRACT

A ROOM AIR CONDITIONER IS DESCRIBED WHICH CAN BE POSITIONED ANYWHERE IN A ROOM, DOES NOT REQUIRE A WINDOW AND IS MUCH QUIETER THAN CONVENTIONAL UNITS. IT COMPRISES SEPARATE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR ASSEMBLIES, WITH THE INTERIOR ASSEMBLY CONTAINING THE EVAPORATOR AND THE EXTERIOR ASSEMBLY THE CONDENSER AND COMPRESSOR. FLEXIBLE CONDUITS, PREFERABLY DETACHABLE, ARE USED TO INTERCONNECT THE REFRIGERANT LINES BETWEEN THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR ASSEMBLIES.

@ct. 12, 1971 A.J. MANGANARO ROOM AI R CONDITIONER 5 Shoots-Shoot 1 Filed Nov. 19, 1969 0d. 12, 1971 A.J.MANGANARO mum ROOM AIR CONDITIONER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 19, 1969 Oct. 12, 197] A.J. MANGANARO 15 9 ROOM AIR CONDITIONER Filed Nov. 19, 1969 5 Sheets-Sheet mm w A R M i M .0 m

5 Sheets-Sheet Filed Nov. 19, 1969 lli Iii

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A. J. MANGANARO ROOM AIR CONDITIONER Filed Nov. 19, 1969 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IIHHIIHIIIIlllllllIIIHHIIHHIHIIIIIIIlllll lllllllIllllllll I I5 200 2000 200b F E G 5 United States 3,611,743 ROOM AIR tCONDITIONER Anthony J. Manganaro, 6 Bassett Ave, Burlington, Mass. 01803 lFiled Nov. 19, 1969, Ser. No. 877,965 Int. Cl. FZSd 23/12 ILLS. Cl. 62-263 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF INVENTION This invention relates to room air conditioning units. In particular, it relates to a novel form of room air conditioning unit which permits far greater flexibility of use and installation than has hitherto been described.

Previously described room air conditioning units have generally been constructed so as to extend through a wall or window. In one type of modification for double hung windows, the frame of the unit has a slot so that the window can go down lower and thus make a better, quieter seal. In another type of modification, the unit is divided into inside and outside components with a rigid duct connecting the components together. However, all of these hitherto described room air conditioning units have re quired a fixed installation as regards the portion within the room.

One object of the present invention is to provide a room air conditioning unit wherein the portion within the room can be readily and easily moved to substantially any position within the room and retain its operability.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a room air conditioning unit which can be readily and easily installed by a user with a minimum of professional assistance.

Still another object of this invention is to provide such a unit wherein the portion within the room can be readily disconnected without affecting the portion outside the room and vice versa.

A further object of this invention is to provide a room air conditioner that does not need a window.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a unit which is quieter than conventional air conditioners.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the description and claims which follow, taken together with the appended drawings.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION The invention comprises a room air conditioning unit consisting of several parts. One is a separate assembly which is to be used in the interior of the room and comprises an evaporator, a motor driven fan for cooling the air passed over the evaporator, means for collecting and expelling moisture condensed by the evaporator, accessible electric controls and input and output refrigerant lines for the evaporator. A second part comprises a separate assembly to be used outside the room or in the open air and consists of a compressor, a condenser, a motor driven fan for cooling the refrigerant within said condenser, means for eliminating moisture expelled by the interior assembly, and input and output refrigerant lines linked to said compressor and condenser. A third part is a flexible conduit Efilllflld Patented Oct. 12, 11971 1 leading from the interior assembly and containing within it flexible tubes connecting to the refrigerant lines, as well as flexible electric lines and a condensate line. The flexible tubes and lines are preferably embedded in a flexible sheath so as to he proof against leakage, weather and shock. A fourth part is a similar flexible conduit leading from said exterior assembly. A fifth part is a conduit extending through a wall of the room and adapted to act as a plug-in wall connector between the two flexible conduits in one model or, in a second model, as a sleeve where both conduits are combined in a single conduit.

The interior assembly is completely portable and movable and can, depending on the length of its conduit, be readily positioned in any desired location without affecting its operability. The flexible conduit from the interior assembly can also include the electric power line so that disconnecting will completely disconnect both exterior and interior assemblies from electric power. The exterior assembly can likewise be positioned where desired, although it would generally be adjacent the exterior wall in the open air. The interior assembly is preferably designed so as to have intake surfaces on the rear and sides and an output on the front. In its preferred form, a pump is provided in the interior assembly to expel the condensate into its channel through the flexible conduit to the exterior assembly where the condensate is eliminated.

In the model utilizing a plug-in wall connector, the flexible conduit of the interior assembly terminates in a plug which is readily connected to the wall connector. The plug combines prongs for electrical lines and tubular plugs for condensate and refrigerant lines. The wall connector includes a receptacle with conductive slots and tubes registerable with said prongs and plugs. The coupling is preferably of the quick-disconnect type wherein the back portion of the plug is twisted on a threading to cause proper engagement and locking. The tubes and tubular plugs are preferably pressurized so that they are sealed when uncoupled.

The interior assembly may include a heating coil which would permit warm, filtered, forced air circulation in the winter.

The interior assembly may also include an electrostatic precipitator so that the unit provides air sufliciently free of pollutants to permit its use as an air conditioning unit by persons who have respiratory problems. The electrostatic precipitator may be located at an air intake louver on the rear or side of the interior assembly, or, at the air output on the front of the interior assembly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view with partial cutaway of one embodiment of this invention showing the interior assembly supported on a table in a room and the outer assembly attached to the exterior surface of the wall, which is shown in partial breakaway.

FIG. IA is a section along line ]lA-lA taken across the flexible conduit.

FIG. 1B is an enlarged front view of a portion of the receptacle 22 shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view with partial breakaway of the embodiment of FIG. 1 wherein there has been a modification of the conduits and connections.

FIG. 3 is a reverse perspective view of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, with partial breakaway.

FIG. 3A is an enlarged perspective view of the plug 21 illustrated in FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of the inner and outer assemblies of this invention with the covers removed to expose the components.

FIG. 5 is a view as in FIG. 4 wherein an electrostatic precipitator has been schematically included.

, 3 SPECIFIC EXAMPLE OF INVENTION Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated therein a separate interior assembly 11 and a separate exterior assembly 27. The interior assembly 11 is connected to the exterior assembly 27 by means of a flexible conduit 20, by suitable plugs and further conduits through the wall 24-25. Variations in the construction of the conduits, plugs and connections will be explained below. The immediately following description relates primarily to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1, 1A, 1B 3, 3A and 4.

The interior assembly 11 comprises a frame and housing for supporting and permitting the functioning of an evaporator 62, a motor 67 driving a fan 66 for the evaporator 62, input and output lines 61 and 63 for conveying the refrigerant to and from the evaporator, a solenoid valve 64 for controlling the flow of refrigerant, and a pump 65 for removing the condensate formed in the interior assembly 11. Interior assembly 11 is provided with an electric socket 68, an optional electric heating element 69, handle 19, wall brackets 43, panel 44 and a large front louver section 15 for permitting passage of air through the evaporator 62 to the surroundings. The intake air is from side louvers 16 and rear louver 42. The assembly 11 is shown supported by its legs 17 on a table 18. The front panel of the assembly contains the temperature control 12, fan speed selector buttons 13, and heat control 14.

Extending from the interior assembly is a flexible conduit 20 which is made up of an outer flexible cover 32, a flexible pressurized and insulated refrigerant supply line 33, a flexible pressurized and insulated refrigerant return line 34, a flexible water condensate line 35 and a number of power and electrical control cables 36. The composite cable 20, Whose cross section is illustrated in FIG. 1A, terminates in a quick connector plug 21. Plug 21 has a front engaging portion 21b, rotatable locking portion 21a with lugs 21c, and slot 122a engageable with receptacle 22 having protuberance 122. Prongs 45a are connected to electrical control cables and prongs 46a are connected to electric power cables. The lower half of the connector shows flexible tubular protuberances 47a, 48a and 49a which connect respectively to refrigerant return line 34, refrigerant supply line 33 and water condensate line 35. The plug couples into receptacle 22, supported on service box 23. In the receptacle, the electric power slots 46 are arranged to mate with prongs 46a, slots 45 with prongs 45a, and openings 47, 48 and 49 with tubular protuberances 47a, 48a and 49a respectively.

The receptacle 22 is shown in FIG. 1 mounted in the interior panel 24 of the wall. The electric service cable 31 is connected to the back of the wall receptacle 22 and is fed from service located within the wall. The electrical control lines connected to recesses 45, and the refrigerant and condensate conduits connected to the openings 47, 48 and 49 extend within cable 26 through holder 26a in outer wall panel and run to the base of the exterior assembly 27.

Exterior assembly 27 comprises a housing in which are located a condenser 50 fed by an input refrigerant line 51 from a compressor 100. The return refrigerant conduit in flexible conduit 26 is connected through a flow valve 58 to compressor 100. The condenser output line 52 feeds into refrigerant receiver 53, thence through solenoid valve 54 and expansion valve 55 to the refrigerant line 56 which forms part of flexible cable 26 and connects through slot 48a with the flexible refrigerant line 33 in flexible conduit 20 leading into the input pipes 61 feeding the evaporator 62 in the interior assembly 11. Condensate line 35a in flexible conduit 26 expels its moisture into a collection trough at the bottom of the exterior assembly, from which it is eliminated into the atmosphere.

Where an additional interior assembly is to be connected to the same exterior assembly, the dotted lines in FIG. 4 indicate the connections for such an additional optional system. The refrigerant line 57a and the refrigerant line 56a are connected to corresponding flexible con- 4 duits and a second flexible conduit leading to a similar interior assembly.

The refrigerant within condenser 50 is cooled by the flow of air driven by the fan 59 powered by motor 60'. The air enters through side louvers 28 and exits through rear louvers 29.

The exterior assembly may be supported on the ground or on the wall 25 by a mounting bracket 30.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the interior and exterior assemblies are of similar construction. However, instead of the electric service line being included in the flexible cable, the flexible cable 37 includes only the refrigerant input and output lines, power line for interior and exterior assembly, condensate line and the electrical control lines. The service is now separate and fed from cable 38 which terminates in a plug connected to a normal electric service outlet 39 mounted in the wall 24. The flexible cable 37 is carried through wall sleeves 40 and 41a and terminates in the exterior assembly.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, an electrostatic precipitator 200 is shown schematically positioned adjacent grill 15. The alternately positioned positively and negatively charged plates 200a and 20% are maintained at a high DC potential.

I claim:

1. A room air conditioning unit comprising an interior assembly in a separate housing, an exterior assembly in a separate housing, and conduit means; said interior assembly comprising an evaporator, a fan for driving air through the evaporator, means for collecting moisture from said evaporator, accessible controls, and refrigerant lines connected between said evaporator and conduit means; said exterior assembly comprising a compressor, a condenser, a fan for driving air through the condensor, and refrigerant lines connected to said conduit means; said conduit means comprising a flexible conduit containing flexible lines connecting the refrigerant lines and a moisture collecting line of the interior assembly to a first coupling member and a second conduit connecting the refrigerant lines of the exterior assembly and a moisture collecting line to a second coupling member; said coupling members being readily detachable plug and socket members.

2. The unit of claim 1 wherein said flexible conduit means also includes lines electrically connecting said interior assembly with said exterior assembly.

3. The unit of claim 2 wherein said interior flexible conduit also includes the electric power supply for said interior assembly.

4. The unit of claim 1 wherein said second coupling member is adapted to be mounted in a Wall.

5. The unit of claim 1 wherein said flexible conduit comprises a flexible sheath in which said flexible lines are embedded.

6. The unit of claim 1 wherein an electrical heating element is included in the interior assembly.

7. The unit of claim 1 wherein an electrostatic precipitator is included in the interior assembly.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,320,436 6/ 1943 Hull 62262 2,708,835 5/1955 Nigro 6 2262 2,760,354 8/ 1956 Brady =622'62 2,984,086 5 1961 Wertheimer 62-262 3,186,477 6/ 1965 Bell -29 3,43 8,219 4/1969 Brugler 62-2162 3,461,682 8/ 1969 Darby 62-9l 3,513,634 5/1970 Angonese 62262 3,498,078 3/ 1970 Sharp 62262 WILLIAM J. WYE, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

